Novozymes is launching HelloScience – an online open, innovation network where innovators, start-ups, companies and others can work together to develop solutions for some of the world’s greatest challenges.
The initiative is inspired by the challenges set out by the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Here is a short video explaining the basics:
First theme is water scarcity – and a call from UNICEF is among the first tasks.
Complex problems require advanced solutions and new ways of finding them. We aim to foster collaboration across borders, expertise and technologies on serious global challenges such as those addressed in the Sustainable Development Goals.
We have experience and expertise, but we don’t claim to have all the answers. We need to work together to deliver better systems to solve challenges within water, food, waste and more.
HelloScience defines different themes for collaboration. The first theme is ‘water’ and includes five specific challenges.
The E. coli challenge
One challenge is to develop an E. coli detection device, which UNICEF believes there is a significant need for.
Nearly 18,000 children die each day from diarrhea and other water-related diseases, contracted mostly through contaminated water or food. The current detection tests for E. coli bacteria take up to 24 hours to return a result. UNICEF seeks solutions for rapid on-the-spot testing of drinking water, and after initial technology screenings we see that several parties could come together to meet the need of children.
Other challenges focus on biological solutions to remove polluting chemicals from water or improve cleaning of wastewater. That includes better filtering, less sludge, and recovery of phosphate, a precious nutrient, from wastewater.
From our end, we already provide a range of microbial solutions for treatment of both industrial and municipal wastewater, but biotech in combination with other technologies can play an even bigger role. HelloScience provides a timely opportunity to bring new innovative solutions into the world of water and wastewater treatment.
Benefits for collaborators
Everybody with an interest in water can suggest ideas at HelloScience.io. Start-ups and small companies are the primary target group, but water experts, university researchers, corporates, NGOs, investors, students and others are also welcome. By posting ideas or solutions to a challenge, participants get access to a network of researchers and innovators to help elevate the concept and find synergies with systems proposed by other collaborators.
The best solutions will receive enzyme and microorganism samples from Novozymes and further access to experts, including Novozymes’ investment team and industry business teams.
A challenge runs for a specified length of time, at the end of which Novozymes offers one participant the opportunity to co-develop their solution with Novozymes.
All intellectual property generated in the challenges belongs to the idea provider.
Check out the initiative and spread the word; let’s confront these global challenges together!